In Life and Love
by Queen of Loopholes
Summary: Because we didn't get to see much of Erica's and Adam's relationship, I came up with this. Enjoy.
1. Chapter 1

_In Life and Love_

Disclaimer: I do not own Being Erica, or the characters involved with said show.

She stood in front of the beginning of a new chapter in her life. In the past few years, doors have opened, tears have fallen, and hearts had been broken. But now, here she was, hopelessly in love again, with a place to call theirs. The man she had turned to, who had found her at her very worst, would be proud. She knew this to be true, even though she could no longer communicate with him. She had changed, but more importantly, she had forced change in her life. When she was knocked down, she picked herself back up and kept going. Because that's what you do, she thought. You fight like hell for what you want, and you don't let it go.

"The boxes aren't going to move themselves, Erica." The familiar, accented voice brought a smile to her lips and she turned her head to see her boyfriend step up to the door beside her.

"You know, we could have hired movers."

Adam made a face and shook his head, followed by a quick shrug of a shoulder. "Nah. Money wasted if you ask me." He paused and looked up at their new home. "Well, come on." When he noticed that she wasn't following, Adam paused and watched his girlfriend's face. So many emotions, he thought. She doesn't know what to do with it all. He set the box down that he was holding and stepped in front of her. "Love? Is everything okay?"

Erica blinked and smiled softly, nodding her head in assurance. "Everything is fine, Adam. It's just...a lot to take in. It's all so real now. You and me. Us. This." Erica motioned toward the condo with the box in her arms. "I'm not used to it. And I'm not sure I deserve it."

"Stop." Adam scolded quietly, cupping her face in his hands. He brushed his thumbs along her cheekbones and pressed his lips to her forehead. "I love you, Erica. And if there's anyone in the world who deserves all this, it's you."

"I love you." Erica whispered, kissing his lips gently before taking a step back. "Now come on, these boxes won't move themselves!" She exclaimed, hurrying into their new home with a laugh.

A/N: First Being Erica fic ever and I'm pretty much in love with it.


	2. Chapter 2

Erica listened to the wind pounding on the window, along with the rain. She shivered and cuddled underneath the blanket she had thrown over her legs when she settled on their couch. She heard the jingle of keys at the door and perked up a bit. The door opened and revealed an incredibly wet and disheveled Adam. She bit back a giggle as she heard a flurry of inappropriate words fly from his mouth.

"Can you believe this bloody weather?"

Erica always loved it when he got all angry and frustrated. She motioned toward the window. "What? You don't love this? I think the weather is great." She replied, struggling not to laugh.

"Oh you think this is funny?" Erica noticed a mischievous glint and was instantly on her feet.

"No. Adam, no!"

But her protests were ignored and before she could run, Adam had picked her up and flung her over his shoulder. She squealed and fought, but he managed to get to the door and swing it open. Erica's scream was engulfed by the wind and she was whipped with rain. "Adam!"

He headed back into the house and shut the door. "Still funny?" He asked as he put her down on her feet.

"No. Not even a little." Erica muttered, peeling off her wet clothes one by one. She saw another familiar glint in Adam's eyes and she lifted up a finger. "Do **not** even think about it. It's not gonna happen after the stunt you just pulled."

"Wait a minute, I was just having a little fun." Adam followed her up the stairs. "That's all. You can't punish a man for having some fun with his girlfriend."

Erica responded by throwing her bra in his face. "Wanna bet?"


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

He could tell that something was wrong with his girlfriend the minute he walked through the door. He found her in the kitchen, where he could smell their dinner burning. She was staring off into space, tapping her fingers on the countertop.

"Erica." He noticed her jump and realization flickered into her eyes.

"Oh my god! Dinner!" She quickly turned off the stove and groaned, looking at the burnt tomato sauce in the pot. "I guess we're better off just ordering out."

"Is everything all right, Erica?" Adam walked over to her and tried not to get upset when she slipped away from his arms.

"Everything's fine," she lied with a small smile on her face.

"Erica…"

"I'm late," the redhead blurted out, eyes shining from unshed tears. "I'm sorry Adam, I have no idea what happened. But my period still hasn't shown up so I looked at the calendar and that's when I realized that I'm a week late and…"

Adam let out a breath, leaning against the counter as Erica babbled on. Late. She could be pregnant. She could be carrying his baby.

It wasn't that Adam didn't want a family—it was just the timing. He was well on his way to opening his own landscaping company. His boss was giving him more of a lead on projects, which gave him the experience he needed. Classes were going surprisingly well, which would give him the degree he also needed. A baby right now would put all that hold.

"Adam? Are you mad at me? Say something, please," the panic and fear in Erica's voice snapped Adam back to reality and his entire body relaxed.

"Oh Erica. How could I be mad at you for this?" He questioned softly, stepping toward her and pulling her into a comforting hug. "Whatever happens, Erica, I'm here."

Erica sniffled. "Really? Are you sure?"

Adam couldn't help but chuckle. "Yes, love. Have you taken a test yet?"

"No…not yet."

"Why don't we start there, and then worry afterward?"

Erica nodded her head and stepped out of Adam's arms, heading toward the bathroom. Adam began to think about what life would be like with a baby. A baby with Erica's red hair. A little boy. No, a little girl. A little girl just like Erica. Or maybe a little boy just like him, but with Erica's attitude and smarts.

He was thinking about their children (because they shouldn't just have one) with a smile on his face when Erica came back.

"It's negative. Both of them are."

Adam couldn't help the frown that appeared on his face. "Negative?"

"I'm not pregnant." Erica walked over to Adam, placing a hand on his arm. "Are you okay?"

Funny how their roles reversed in such a short time. "I'm fine. You?"

"I'm…okay…" Erica sighed and leaned her head against Adam's chest. "I'm disappointed," she mumbled.

Adam laughed, wrapping his arms around her and pressing his cheek to the top of her head. "Me too." He kissed her head and pulled away, making her look up at him. "One day, Erica, we'll have more babies than we know what to do with. Just not today." He sealed his promise with a brief kiss to her lips. "Besides, the trying is the best part."


	4. Chapter 4

Erica was the first one to arrive at the office and she was glad to have a few moments of quiet before Julianne and Brent made their appearance. She hung up her coat and set her purse down on her desk. She didn't hear the door between 50/50 Press and Goblins open.

"Erica?"

The familiar voice caused Erica to spin around, a bright smile on her face. "Kai!" She ran over and gave the blonde rocker a big hug, probably lingering a little too long for someone in a relationship. She had never really lost her feelings for Kai. All she had done was move on.

At least, that's what she thought.

She felt Kai press a kiss to her cheek before he pulled away. "What are you doing here?" She asked, quickly glancing around to make sure they were alone. "Is this a regret?"

Kai brushed the questions away with a shrug of his shoulders. "You look…happy." He murmured, reaching a hand up and tucking a piece of her hair behind her ear.

Erica was trying to ignore the tingling sensation running through her body. "I am happy," she replied just as quietly, not sounding too convincing.

"Are you sure?"

There was a long pause between the two ex-lovers and Erica didn't know how to break it. She should tell him to leave, before they did something they would regret. She was with Adam now. She couldn't be with Kai.

"Erica?"

This time, the voice was different, but still familiar. Adam. Erica turned and smiled softly, a bit of guilt eating at her. "What are you-"

Adam held up her phone, but his eyes were on Kai. "You left your phone on the counter." She had taken a couple steps toward him to take the phone, but he sidestepped her and placed it on her desk.

She took a few quick steps forward. "Hey," she said softly, grabbing his arm. "Thank you." She leaned forward and pressed her lips against Adam's briefly. "I'll see you at home later?" She noticed that Adam seemed to relax a bit, and she thought she even caught a tiny smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

"Yeah. I'll try to get home on time today." He kissed Erica quickly, then nodded his head in acknowledgment toward Kai before leaving the office.

Erica sighed, her stomach doing all sorts of flip-flops and turns. "I am happy, Kai," she repeated, turning toward him. She leaned against her desk, taking a deep breath. "Things are good. So if you came back here hoping to change things, then you're going to be disappointed."

"That explains why Dr. Fred let me go." Kai murmured, mostly to himself. He focused on Erica, giving her that wide grin of his. She hoped her legs wouldn't turn to jelly. "Look, Erica, I'm happy as long as you're happy. I shouldn't have come back at all."

"Then why did you?"

Kai shrugged. "Hope? Wishful thinking?" He walked toward her and Erica realized that she wasn't in the best position. "I miss you, Erica. I miss you so much, it hurts."

"Write about it," Erica blurted out. "Write me a song. Do something, but don't come here looking to interfere in my relationship."

Kai paused, then sighed. "You're right. I'm sorry. I should go before everyone else shows up. Besides," he started to walk backward toward the door. "I think this regret is over."

Author's note: This wasn't even remotely where I had intended this chapter to go, but I think it turned out better this way.


	5. Chapter 5

Author's note: A big shootout to sk8ter boy, who's Being Erica fanfic inspired me to write this chapter. And also to the current events in my life, that has possibly made this chapter into more than I anticipated.

When Erica arrived home later that night, she found the new condo relatively quiet. For the first time in a while, she was truly scared. Adam should have been home by now. She flicked on the light and set her things down in their usual spot.

"Adam?" She found him silently sitting on the couch. His head was hanging, his hands clasped tightly in his lap. "Adam?" She repeated, worry and fear clawing at her throat.

"So is that it then?" He whispered, lifting his head up to make eye contact with her. "Kai comes back and sweeps you off your feet?"

The defeated tone in his voice caused Erica's heart to ache. She knelt down in front of him and shook her head. "No, Adam. Unless…unless that's what you want."

She saw a spark in his eyes and couldn't hold back a small wave of relief. There was the Adam she knew and loved. "What I want? Is that what you think I want?" Adam stood up, nearly causing Erica to lose her balance and fall over. She managed to stand up and his hand was immediately wrapped around one of her arms.

"You think I'm going to just step back and let that pansy guitar boy take you away?" Adam took a step closer to Erica. "I did it once, Erica, and I won't do it again."

"Pansy guitar boy?"

Adam's lips twitched into a small smile. "Well he is."

Erica allowed herself to giggle a bit. "Adam, Kai _was_ here to win me back."

"He…was?"

"I told him that I'm happy." Erica stepped toward Adam, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

"Did you tell him to bugger off?"

"Adam!"

This time, Adam let a full smile spread across his face. "You did, didn't you?" He sighed and wrapped his arms around Erica, pulling her into a tight embrace. "I saw you two together and I thought we were over…"

Erica nuzzled against Adam for a few moments before taking a deep breath and stepping back. "Kai is always going to have a special place in my heart," she began softly. "He was the first person I knew that went through the therapy. He was the first person I could really be myself around, who I could talk to about what was really going on." She laid a hand on Adam's chest. "Kai and I opened up to each other in ways we never really had before. But a relationship between Kai and I would be too unrealistic, unattainable, and difficult for us to maintain. How could I do that to myself when all I've wanted was stability? How can I have a family with a man in a completely different time period?"

"Erica, I don't want you to settle for me."

Adam's heartfelt interruption threw her off balance. "Adam," she murmured, leaning forward and pressing a quick kiss to his lips. "I am not settling. I love you."

Their lips met again. "I love you too, Erica. But it sounds like you belong with Kai. Or that you want to be with him."

Erica let out a frustrated groan, running her hands through her hair. "Adam, it's not like that," she began, turning away from him and starting to pace. "I just…I don't know how to explain it to you so that you can…" she turned around and trailed off when she saw Adam on one knee, a tiny black box in his hand. "Adam…what…"

He opened the box, displaying the ring inside. "Erica Strange, will you marry me?"


	6. Chapter 6

_There are times in our lives when we reach a crossroads, when we find ourselves stuck between a series of impossible choices. Should we move forward? Should we turn back? Which way is the right way? How do we know?_

Erica stared at her significant other, who was on his knee holding out a tiny box with the most gorgeous ring inside. She had no idea what to say, or how to answer his question. Except with…"What the hell, Adam?!"

Adam blinked a few times, slowly standing and holding out his hands. "What?"

"You can't just…I mean you…" she frantically motioned toward the couch and then at him, her eyes looking at the ring. "Adam, I don't even know what this is all about."

He sighed, lifting the box up and turning it in his hands. "I've been waiting for the right moment to ask. Now just seemed like the right time."

"After you practically started a break-up speech with me?"

"Oh no, Erica, no," Adam set the ring box down on the coffee table, then reached out and took Erica's hands into his own. "That was just…I saw you with Kai and I started to doubt myself and…and us." He squeezed her hands with a sheepish smile. "I thought you would leave again and when you told me about telling him to sod off, I realized that you are the kind of woman I want to spend the rest of my life with. You know I'm not good at romance," at Erica's snort, Adam laughed and tugged her closer. "so I hope you weren't expecting some large dramatic proposal…but I do hope you feel the same way about me as I do about you."

"Adam…" Erica whispered, laying her head on his chest for a minute. "Can I see the ring again?"

He chuckled at the excitement in her voice and leaned over, picking up the still open ring box and holding it out toward her. He watched her run her fingers over the stone and band. "Still waiting for that answer, love."

He saw the hesitation, the quick flicker of it in her eyes. "Think it over," he blurted out, surprising even himself. "I want you to want this. No pressure. Take however long you need."

"Thank you. For understanding me, for loving me, for making me so incredibly happy." Erica took the box from Adam and smiled. "Let's do it."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah! Let's get married." She leaned over and pressed her lips hard against his. He responded quickly, one arm wrapping around her waist and the other resting against her upper back. She pulled away, holding up the box in between them. "I'm not going to put this on myself."


End file.
